32 BNP men held for ‘anti-state activities’

A Dhaka court yesterday placed five BNP leaders and activists on remand after 32 party men were arrested from a food court in the capital's Mohakhali while they were allegedly plotting against the government.

Earlier on the day, Saddam Hossain, sub-inspector of Kafrul Police Station, produced 17 of them in court and sought a 10-day remand for each.

At the same time, Saddam, also the case investigation officer, asked the court to send the remaining 15 arrestees to jail.

Following the hearing, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohona Alamgir granted one-day remand to five of the arrestees each and sent the remaining 27 to jail.

The arrestees, including former Banani Thana BNP president Abul Kalam Azad, had cases filed over attacking law enforcers and recovery of crude bombs against them with Kafrul Police Station under the Special Powers Act and the Explosive Substances Act.

"We arrested 32 BNP leaders and activists from SKS Tower around 10:00pm on Friday when they were in a secret meeting to get the government into trouble," Hafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Kafrul Police Station.